This almond butter garlic tofu is baked until crispy and then it's coated in a sticky and savory sauce! Serve with roasted broccoli and fluffy brown rice for a delicious and easy dinner!
This is my favorite way to eat tofu! I make it at least once or twice a month. It's so delicious! Baked tofu with crispy edges coated in almond butter garlic sauce is the best! It's the ultimate combination of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors with the perfect amount of zing from the fresh garlic and ginger.
Tofu is a staple ingredient in my house! I love it because it's high in protein, it's inexpensive (I buy the 4-pack organic tofu from Costco) and it's sooo good tossed in the sticky sauce.
This meal is easy to make in less than one hour and sure to become a family favorite!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tofu - Use firm or extra firm pressed tofu. You could also use cubed tempeh, but it won't be as crispy.
- Arrowroot - This helps the tofu to get the crispy edges. Cornstarch powder can be used instead of arrowroot.
- Tamari - Soy or coconut aminos can be substituted for tamari.
- Maple Syrup - This balances the acidity of the lime juice and vinegar. You could also use agave or date syrup.
- Rice Vinegar - You can also use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Almond Butter - You can substitute peanut butter or sun butter.
- Ginger & Garlic - Fresh ginger and garlic add so much flavor! Dried ginger or garlic powder can be used if necessary. Start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Lime - Fresh lime juice also adds loads of flavor to the garlic tofu. You could also use lemon juice.
- Green Onions & Sesame Seeds (Optional) - Use these to garnish your plate before serving.
How to Make It
First, press the tofu for 30 minutes (Photo 1). Next, cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place it on a parchment-lined tray (Photos 2-6).
Sprinkle arrowroot powder over the tofu and use your hands to gently toss it until all pieces are coated (Photo 7). Bake for 30 minutes.
Next, put all of the garlic sauce ingredients into a medium pan. Stir to combine and let it cook for a few minutes (Photo 8).
In a small bowl, whisk together the water and arrowroot and add the slurry to the pan. Mix it all together and let the garlic sauce continue to thicken.
Remove the tray of tofu from the oven (Photo 9). Put the crispy tofu cubes into the pan with the ginger garlic sauce and toss it to coat each piece (Photo 10). Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
What Goes With It?
I like to serve the garlic tofu with fluffy brown rice and a tray of roasted broccoli or cauliflower but you could also serve it with any of the following dishes.
- Salad with Creamy Ranch Dressing
- Shiitake Mushroom Fried Rice
- Sesame Ginger Garlic Coleslaw
- Cilantro Garlic Lime Quinoa
How To Store It
Store the leftover garlic tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or you can freeze it.
When you're ready to defrost it, put the container in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Transfer the tofu to a sheet pan and bake it for about at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until crispy.
If you do freeze it, the texture of the tofu will change a little bit. When the ice crystals form and then defrost, it leaves air pockets that make it taste a little spongy. It still tastes good, just different then it did originally.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a balanced meal, I like to serve the tofu (protein) with some type of roasted veggies (fiber) and grains or starch (carbs). My favorite combo is tofu, rice, and broccoli.
The arrowroot (or cornstarch) slurry will thicken the ginger garlic sauce. The longer it cooks, the thicker it will get. If it gets too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to thin it to your desired consistency.
Success Tips
- Use firm or extra firm tofu, it has the best texture for baked tofu. Don't use silken tofu.
- Make sure you press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to get rid of as much liquid as possible.
- It's important to make the arrowroot slurry in a separate small bowl and then incorporate it into the sauce. Don't just add the arrowroot directly to the pan because you'll end up with small clumps of white powder that are hard to break up.
- Try to time it out so everything is cooking at the same time and will be done at the same time. While the tofu is cooking (30 minutes), have the brown rice cooking (40-45 minutes), and a separate tray of broccoli roasting (12-15 minutes). This way, everything should be ready for dinner around the same time.
More Simple Tofu Recipes
Almond Butter Garlic Tofu
Equipment
- Tofu Press
- Large Baking Tray
- Medium Pan
- Small Bowl
Ingredients
Tofu
- 18 oz block firm tofu
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp almond butter (or peanut butter)
- 1 ½ inch piece of ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Toppings
- ¼ cup green onions sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Press the tofu for 30 minutes and then drain the excess water. Cut the block of tofu into 4 slices and then cut each slice into small cubes.
- Place the tofu on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of arrowroot over the tofu and use your hands to gently toss and coat each side. Arrange the tofu on the tray so there is space between each piece and bake it for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Combine tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, almond butter, onion powder, grated ginger, and minced garlic into a medium sauce pan over medium heat and stir it together. Let it cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp of water and 2 tsp of arrowroot powder into a slurry and then stir it into the sauce. Add 1 tbsp fresh lime juice. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce thicken for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If the sauce gets too thick, take the pan off the stove and add 1-2 additional tbsp of water to loosen it up.
- Take the tofu out of the oven and carefully transfer it to the pan with the sauce. Gently toss the tofu with the sauce until it's evenly coated. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
This looks great, thanks for the recipe. Do you have instructions for how to prepare/cook the roasted broccoli?
Hi, Sarah! Yes, I like to toss the broccoli florets with a little bit of vegetable broth or olive oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onions powder, and 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings and then roast it at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
This was fantastic - thank you.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Few Questions: First, I like to use super firm tofu and i don't press. I think this would would for this recipe. Do you have an opinion? I think i can do this tofu in my air fryer? Any thoughts on that? Finally, I do happen to have both arrowroot and cornstarch around, but I'm wondering how significant the amount of vitamins could be when you are only dusty the tofu. Different when you are baking arrowroot cookies or something, but just dusting?
Hello! 1) I think extra firm tofu would work but I would still press it. I always press it so I can't tell you whether or not the consistency would be the same if you don't. 2) I haven't tried it but I think the air fryer would work fine. 3) It's just a personal preference for me to use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch. Unfortunately, I have no way of measuring the number of vitamins that you get from coating tofu vs cooking with arrowroot or cornstarch. Hope that helps!